Ruling party freshmen say merger talks should resume after local elections, seek meeting with Jung Chung-rae

The Mincho, a group of first-term lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea, held a meeting on the 2nd to collect opinions on the proposed merger. The group called for postponing discussions on unification with the Rebuilding Korea Party until after the June 3 Local Elections.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, The Mincho chair Lee Jae-gang said, "The general view was that discussions on a merger between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party should be halted." He added, "We agreed that the merger should be revisited after the local elections and that the issue must be resolved only after a proper process of gathering opinions on unification."
However, he noted that "a very small minority argued that we should help move forward party leader Jung Chung-rae's proposal for a merger so that it proceeds smoothly."
In response, The Mincho decided to ask the party leadership to arrange a meeting with party leader Jung Chung-rae. The group is expected to formally request a halt to the merger talks at that meeting.
Meanwhile, the merger proposal between the Democratic Party of Korea and the Rebuilding Korea Party put forward by Jung Chung-rae is showing signs of triggering a full-blown internal conflict.
At the Democratic Party of Korea's supreme council meeting held the same day, Jung Chung-rae again stressed the need for a merger. In response, supreme council members Lee Un-ju, Hwang Myung-seon, and Kang Deuk-gu sharply criticized him in the official session.
Moon Jung-bok, a supreme council member seen as part of the pro-Jung Chung-rae faction, hit back, saying, "Remember where all those people are now who hurled harsh words right to the face of party leader Lee Jae-myung when he was president."
gowell@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Hyeong-gu Reporter